Prisonnier Immortel
by Otorisosa-kan
Summary: The results of the battle at Geosenge Town weren't completely clear to Anne first. But after discovering the curse that has been cast upon her, she is desperate to undo it. With all the time in the world, can she free herself from the chains of immortality?
1. Chapter 1

Lysandre roared in his defeat as Anne breathed a sigh of relief. She returned Charizard as the boss of Team Flare fell to his knees. Shauna stepped forward from behind Anne after watching the battle.

"Um…" She timidly coughed. "Know what I think? Even if there's only a little bit of something it's still best to share it."

She didn't let Lysandre's glower shake her.

"Even you manage to use mega evolution… That's because Gyarados shared its power with you, didn't it? And not just Gyarados but your other pokémon, too…"

Her words were met by stony silence. Calem stepped forward.

"Xerneas is gone so you can't use the ultimate weapon anymore, right? You don't have to worry about the future all by yourself… I think everyone should work together to make a better, beautiful world…"

Anne nodded.

"Wiping the world out to make a clean slate will just cause the same problems as last time. It's better to use what we have already rather than just start anew."

"If that were possible…" Lysandre spat. "All wars would have ended long ago! I can only see one future! One where selfish, foolish humans think about nothing other than themselves and steal more and more from one another! It's a tragic future!"

He cast his eyes up to the weapon above the group.

"The original purpose of this device was to bring a pokémon back to life. But the ancient king transformed it into this ultimate weapon…"

There was a pause as he studied it.

"Hmm…" He adopted a pensive look. "When Xerneas awakened, it took back much of its energy that had been sent to the ultimate weapon. There's not much power left. But there is enough to use it once."

He cast his hand out towards Anne.

"Anne! Let us live forever!"

Anne jumped back towards Shauna and Calem.

"That's right! I shall grant you eternal life! I'll give you the pain of endlessly waiting for a beautiful world to finally be built!"

"No thank you!" Anne shrieked when he lunged for her and she dodged.

The room quaked as the whir of engines sounded.

"Anne, Shauna, let's get out of here!" Calem shouted.

Shauna shot off with Calem in tow. Anne jumped onto her roller skates and followed them.

* * *

The crystal flower rumbled as it shot a laser of blue into the sky. The beam of energy went up before dropping back down onto the weapon itself. The resulting collision shook Geosenge Town and the weapon collapsed onto Team Flare's base. As the smoke cleared, six trainers stood looking at the crater in awe. Sina approached Calem.

"I'm glad you're all safe!" she exclaimed "I really respect the courage and kindness you all showed."

"Thank you." Shauna smiled as Calem looked around. "We're all fine…"

"Wait!" Calem exclaimed and everyone turned to him. "Where's Anne?"

Looking around, it became clear that Anne wasn't amongst them. Tierno rushed to the crater and was pulled back by Trevor when he reached the edge. All he could see was rubble. He turned to Calem and Shauna.

"Wasn't she with you?!"

"She was right behind us!" Shauna covered her mouth. "She can't be…"

Calem turned and ran back towards Team Flare's base entrance. He ran down the stairs and his face dropped when he found doors blocking his way. He tried prying them apart only to find them sealed firmly. With a cry of exasperation, he let out Absol. Absol cried out as he helped his trainer by digging his claws into the doors to pry them apart. Calem heaved with him as Sina and Dexio finally joined him.

"Calem wait, help will be here soon!"

Absol cried out when light spilled out onto the scene before them and Calem's eyes widened. Under the debris, he could see Anne's arm, her hand clutching her purse that had held her pokémon safely out of harm's way.


	2. Chapter 2

Anne woke up, clutching the sheets over her body. She gasped, sweating and looking around. Calem jumped back when their eyes met and Anne let out a soft sigh. She relaxed as Calem sat back down in the chair at her bedside.

"You startled me," he said with an aloof grin. "How are you feeling?"

Anne sat up, rolling her shoulders and head. She stretched and yawned.

"I thought I had a nightmare," she murmured mid-stretch and looked around. "Where are my Pokémon?"

Calem held out her purse with her Pokeballs and she grabbed them, clutching them to her chest.

"Professor Sycamore should be up shortly with Shauna and the others."

Anne looked around the room, frowning.

"Where are we anyway?"

"Lumiose City. We needed to get you to the closest hospital since what happened in Geosenge Town…"

"Oh, that makes…sense…"

Anne bowed her head for a few moments, hugging her pokeballs then looked at Calem sharply.

"Wait, that actually happened?!" she shrieked.

Calem nodded. Anne sat back, staring at the door.

"Team Flare's boss was Lysandre?"

"Yes."

"Lysandre activated this weapon that sprouted out from Geosenge Town?"

"Yes."

"And after capturing Xerneas, I defeated him in battle which led to him activating the weapon…"

Calem nodded slowly when Anne trailed off. She frowned.

"I don't remember what happened next."

"We tried to get out but you didn't quite make it."

Anne looked at Calem as he leaned in.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." Anne nodded as she looked herself up and down. "Not a scratch."

Calem let out a breath and the door opened.

"Anne!"

Anne jumped as Shauna lunged for her and pinned her to the hospital bed. Calem jumped to his feet as Trevor and Tierno ran in after Shauna.

"Careful!" they all shouted at the young girl.

"Anne, you're awake!" Shauna wailed as Anne lay there, accepting the bone crushing hug.

"Good to see you too…" she rasped.

"Shauna, we've already had to unearth her from Team Flare's base."

Professor Sycamore walked in with a bemused smile. Shauna bounced off Anne, who sat up to look at everyone with a smile.

"I'm alright, really." she said with red cheeks.

"It's a miracle that you survived," Professor Sycamore commented as a doctor and nurse came in to check in on their patient. "It took hours to get you out of the debris."

"And to come out unscathed!" The doctor commented as she double checked Anne's pulse. "Yes, I think you can be discharged this afternoon."

Calem and Shauna grinned happily as Anne frowned.

"Are you sure it hadn't all been a dream…?" she asked.

Professor Sycamore laughed.

"You should check your PC box. The Pokémon of Life is eager to meet its new trainer."

"Oh, it was so cool how your charizard and that gyarados fought!" Shauna squealed as the professor bid au revoir. "Both mega evolutions, fighting to the death for the weapon above them!"

"Shauna…" Calem chuckled as he took his seat again with Trevor and Tierno dragging new chairs to the bed.

"You should have been there, Tierno! A dance amongst dragons!"

"Are you really sure it wasn't just a dream?" Anne chuckled.

"And in came his mienshao, striking a knockout blow to the elegant but fragile absol!"

"Shauna, I don't have an absol!"

"You don't?"

"No, I think you're thinking about my absol." Calem laughed.

"Well anyway, Anne totally saved the day and nearly died whilst doing so!"

Anne rolled her eyes, shaking her head as her friends began chattering excitedly. She glanced down at her pokeballs and at herself, frowning. Calem noticed this and leaned in discretely.

"Are you OK?"

Anne looked at him then shrugged.

"I guess it was down to luck after all." she said with a soft smile.

Calem grinned and hugged her.

"I'm glad you're safe." he whispered.

Anne hugged him back, staring at the wall.

"Yeah, so am I…" she muttered whilst Shauna began letting her pokémon out to praise each of them.


	3. Chapter 3

Anne's stomach dropped as Diantha's gardevoir mega-evolved in front of her. It powered through Charizard's inferno and then launched a powerful moonblast. Charizard, in his mega evolved form, took a critical hit and was out quicker than Anne could say:

"Stupid fairies!"

Charizard landed heavily in front of her, losing his mega evolution. Anne returned him then pulled out her remaining pokémon, Xerneas. The legendary pokémon towered over Gardevoir as Anne laced her fingers together, contemplating her next move.

"Night slash!" she commanded.

"Xern!"

Xerneas galloped forward, driving his horns into the opposing gardevoir.

"Thunderbolt!" Diantha commanded.

"Voir!"

Xerneas shrieked as a powerful thunderbolt struck him, causing him to stumble back. Anne's nails dug into her palm as she watched him regain his balance but the static around him clearly indicated his paralysis.

"Horn leech!" was her next command.

"Shadow ball!" Diantha called.

Anne was sorely tempted to look away as Gardevoir formed a shadow ball between her hands and fired it. However, despite the paralysis, Xerneas moved out of the way and charged forward, driving his horns straight into Gardevoir and sapping the life out of her. He perked up considerably. Gardevoir, looked worse for wear now but she was still standing.

"Moonblast!" Diantha's voice echoed in the hall.

"Moonblast as well, Xerneas!"

Like chivalrous duellers, both pokémon bowed to one another as they prepared their moonblasts. Both shot their balls of light, setting a collision off in the centre of the battlefield. Both trainers shielded their faces as dust flew everywhere. They waited for the dust to clear and Diantha was the first to react.

"Gardevoir!"

Anne lowered her arms to see Gardevoir had lost her mega evolution and was unconscious on the battlefield. The actress cradled her pokémon and Anne looked up at Xerneas who stood proud and tall, the paralysis still encompassing him. He turned to her and she delved into her bag, holding out a cheri berry for him. He leaned down to eat it from out of her hand and the paralysis disappeared.

Anne smiled up at Xerneas as he bowed to her, his nose touching the floor. She bowed back before wrapping her arms around his neck in a gentle embrace. Xerneas nickered at her, nosing her bag curiously.

"I…" Diantha coughed as she returned Gardevoir and looked up at Anne.

She took a deep breath and stood, smiling as Anne broke away from Xerneas. Anne returned him and smiled back at her. Diantha took in another deep breath and giggled.

"I'm so choked up that it's hard to know what I should say…"

"Sometimes it's best to not say anything," Anne said with a grin whilst crossing the battlefield towards her.

"But I…" Diantha sighed and nodded. "I'm just so glad at this moment that I was good enough to be the champion. After all, it gave me the chance to meet and battle with you and your wonderful pokémon!"

When Anne reached her, she took her hands to hold them.

"Now I understand just why dear Augustine, that's Professor Sycamore to you, said he had to get everything ready for the new champion!"

Anne raised her eyebrows.

"Well that was rather assumptive of him!" she exclaimed and Diantha laughed. "What if I hadn't beaten you?!"

Diantha shrugged and squeezed her hands.

"He'll be waiting for us in Lumiose City, but before I take you there, my dear Anne, would you mind coming this way for me?"

Before Anne could even answer, Diantha was pulling her along, across the battlefield and towards the doors on the other side of the room. The girls entered the hall of fame, Anne looking around in awe. They reached the machine at the end of the room and Diantha turned to Anne with a giddy grin.

"Here we are!" she sung. "I'm so glad to welcome you in. This grand chamber is where you enter the Kalos region's hall of fame. This is where Pokémon Trainers will live on forever, remembered always for giving their all in battle to the Pokémon League and for the glory and light that they shared with all."

There was an excited gleam in her eyes.

"Come, Anne. Your love for your pokémon and the way that they gave everything they had in battle for you, we'll record them here for eternity."

Anne took in a deep breath as she faced the machine and brought her pokeballs out. Charizard, Lucario, Noivern, Sylveon, Delcatty and finally Xerneas. She watched as their data was recorded, a relieved smile on her face.


	4. Chapter 4

Anne wanted to both hold her head high and hide away from the crowd that surrounded her and her friends. Why did Professor Sycamore have to insist on having this grandiose parade?

Anne was the first to step onto the stage, followed by Calem, Shauna, Tierno and finally Trevor. They circled behind her, facing the professor who just could not stop grinning.

"What an amazing turnout!" he exclaimed whilst looking at the crowd before them. "All of these people are here to celebrate your achievements."

Anne timidly glanced at the crowd who cheered and she averted her gaze quickly. Sycamore grinned wider, if possible, and pulled out a medal.

"I'd like to present you with the Honour of Kalos for the bravery you showed battling Team Flare!"

The crowd roared and Anne winced. Sycamore reached over to pin the medal on her dress.

"I am so proud of you all!" He smiled at her group of friends, gesturing to them all. "On behalf of the entire Kalos region, I'd like to say thank you!"

The crowd cheered as the five trainers turned to them. Anne was sorely tempted to hide behind Calem whilst Shauna bounced up and down, waving to the crowd. Calem glanced at Anne and smiled. Anne smiled back slightly and paused when the noise suddenly dipped.

A tall man had just stepped onto the stage, intimidating Trevor and Tierno to retreat to the other side. Shauna dashed behind Calem as he towered over them. Anne recognised him almost immediately.

"AZ?"

AZ stared her down before taking out a pokeball.

"Battle with me."

The crowd burst into mutters of confusion and anticipation. AZ tightened his grip on the pokeball in his hand.

"I want to know what a 'trainer' is."

Anne glanced over her shoulder to see the stage had been evacuated. Her friends and the professor were now in the crowd, joining in with the encouraging shouts that filled the square. Anne looked up at AZ before nodding. AZ tossed the pokeball and let out a sigilyph. Anne let out Noivern.

"Noi!" cried the dragon upon being let out and he snarled at the sigilyph.

"Noivern, tailwind!"

"Cosmic power."

Noivern cried as he circled the stage, whipping up a whirlwind to boost his speed whilst the sigilyph's body glowed, absorbing mystical power to boost its defence and special defence.

"Shadow ball!" Anne cried.

"Air slash."

Noivern channelled his energy through a shadow ball and shot it towards the sigilyph. The opposing pokémon moved and sliced through the air, sending a blade that sliced through the shadow ball and into Noivern. Noivern flinched as AZ called out another move.

"Return!"

The sigilyph charged towards Noivern and knocked him out of the sky and into the stage. The stage shook as the crowd and Anne gazed up at the sigilyph in awe. It was not messing around.

"Noi-noi, are you OK?" Anne asked as her dragon groaned.

He propped himself up, shakily taking off again, eyes focused on the circling sigilyph. Anne nodded.

"Draco Meteor!"

"Noinoi!" Noivern roared as he shot above the sigilyph and spread his wings out.

The sky darkened and comets spiralled down, pummelling sigilyph out of the sky and into the stage that cracked beneath the trainers' feet. Anne stumbled a little bit at the impact. Noivern landed in front of her, panting and sweating as they watched the cloud of dust in anticipation.

"Return!"

Anne shrieked when AZ's voice bellowed through the square and the sigilyph cut through the dust cloud, tackling Noivern off the stage and into a nearby building. Anne hissed as she turned around.

Noivern collapsed onto the street as the sigilyph shot up and circled back to its trainer. Anne grimaced and returned him into his pokeball. She picked out another pokeball after some consideration and tossed it into the air.

"Lucario, let's go!"

"Car!"

The crowd cheered as Lucario landed in front of Anne.

"Dark pulse!"

Lucario nodded as he stepped back, braced himself and emitted dark energy towards the sigilyph. The sigilyph shrieked when it took a critical hit and collapsed in front of AZ. Anne let out a breath when it was returned into its pokeball but her relief was short lived as she saw AZ let out a torkoal next. The whirlwind around them died down, indicating that the tailwind Noivern had conjured was no longer in effect.

"Power-up punch!" Anne cried, hopping from one foot to the next in anticipation.

She paused as Lucario surged forward, paw raised and struck the torkoal. The torkoal grunted as it stood its ground and AZ called:

"Lava plume!"

"Rattatas…" Anne grumbled and winced when Lucario was hit by the fire.

Her pokémon was blown back and fell to one knee, flames encompassing him. He wobbled, struggling to keep his eyes open and Anne nodded.

"Aura sphere!"

Lucario shakily got up and braced his paws. A bright blue ball formed between his paws and he shot the aura sphere at the torkoal. It slammed into the opposing pokémon and knocked it out. Lucario had one brief grin before his burn caused him to faint. Anne ran up and caught him in her arms before he could hit the stage, hugging him.

"Thank you, you did well," she whispered before returning him into his pokeball.

AZ watched this exchange as he returned his torkoal and threw his third and final pokeball into the air. Anne looked up at the golurk that towered over her before she got up to her feet. She took out her pokeball and kissed the top.

"Come on, Charizard, we've got this!"

The crowd cheered as Charizard was let out of his pokeball and roared. He locked eyes with the opposing golurk, fire pooling between his jaws in anticipation.

Anne raised her mega ring and pressed it. Charizard was encompassed in bright light and the crowd screamed as he emerged in his mega evolved form.

"Dragon pulse!"

Charizard parted his jaws and shot a multi-coloured beam straight at the golurk.

"Phantom force."

The golurk disappeared, dodging the dragon pulse which left a hole right in front of AZ. Anne and Charizard jumped slightly when this happened, Charizard looking around for his opponent. Anne shrieked as the golurk suddenly appeared in front of her and directly behind Charizard.

"Watch out!"

She winced as the golurk raised its fist and struck Charizard, sending him down into the stage. Charizard was quick to get up, however and snarled, opening his jaws and shooting another dragon pulse that hit the golurk square in the chest, sending it stumbling back. Anne looked between the two and put her hands on her hips.

"Charizard!"

Charizard gave her a sheepish look as the golurk recovered from the attack.

"Mega punch."

The golurk's fist began to glow and the golurk threw a punch at Charizard. Charizard snorted as he caught the punch, taking damage but it didn't do much. Anne nodded.

"Inferno!"

Charizard snarled as he let go of the golurk's fist and circled the ghost pokémon. He engulfed it in flames and Anne cringed at the cry of pain the pokémon let out after having been burned.

"Return!"

Anne jumped as from the flames, the golurk leapt and punched Charizard in his jaws. Charizard was sent spiralling down and into the stage, which at this point was struggling to hold Anne and AZ's weight. Anne rushed over to Charizard, falling to her knees and cradling his head.

"Char?" she whispered.

Charizard took a deep breath and nodded. He jumped back to his feet and snarled at the golurk. Anne took a breath.

"Blast burn!"

Charizard roared as he soared into the air whilst Anne ran back to her side of the stage, out of the way from the battle. Blue flames encased Charizard's body and he swerved, plummeting down into the stage and landed heavily, causing a fiery explosion. Everyone could feel the heat as they shielded their faces from the wind.

Anne was the first to lower her arms and she stared up at the golurk in awe. It was still standing!

Charizard landed in front of her, panting as it took a break to recover. Anne braced as the golurk turned then toppled. She bounced as it collapsed into the stage, thoroughly wrecking it beyond repair.

With shaking hands, she covered her mouth and the audience cheered for her victory. AZ looked just as surprised as he returned the golurk into its pokeball. He approached Anne across the wrecked stage and looked down upon her as she wrapped her arms around Charizard.

"Thank you…" he said. "Thank you very much for battling with me. Now I finally feel free…"

He gazed up at the sunset coloured sky.

"Free from the part of me mired in sorrow. The part of me that built the ultimate weapon…"

His eyes widened, prompting Anne and Charizard to look up. The clouds parted and through the gap floated a floette. It slowly drifted down to AZ who held his hands out, staring at her in awe.

"Floette…" he uttered as she smiled at him. "It's been three thousand years…"

Anne returned Charizard after he returned to his regular form. She stepped off the wrecked stage and stumbled into her group of friends that surrounded her, giving her congratulations and the like. Sycamore approached her with a grin.

"His pokémon was waiting all this time…" he said as he and Anne looked up at AZ with Floette. "Waiting for him to return to the man he was. The man who loved pokémon with all his heart."

AZ looked down at Anne and their eyes met. Anne smiled and he returned it.


End file.
